Browse Officer Safety Articles

In my last article we discussed choosing the right weapon for concealed carry, and that we should make that decision based on a worst-case scenario: If you are alone and confronted with an active shooter, or shooters, in a crowded environment you want to be prepared. Now we will address the method of carry. I break this down into two groups: ...

Law enforcement folks love gadgets and the various accoutrements that go with the job. When I ran police academies in Ohio and Florida, police equipment catalogs littered the desks at lunchtime and cop supply websites were must reading among the cadets. Not surprisingly, conversations on breaks often revolved around the newest device or gadget. All aspiring and newly minted officers covet ...

"What If?" Two little words that could be the difference between returning home after your shift or not. As department trainings evolve, it's important to assess previous experiences and break them down.While watching the following videos, ask yourself these questions: 1) What was the cause? 2) Were the officer's actions appropriate? 3) Would you have done things different? If so, then ...

In the wake of the tragic shooting death of North St. Paul, MN, Police Officer Richard Crittenden, it is crucial to note that the fallen badge bearer was not a rookie. Rather, he was a nine-year veteran of the force who, as it was described in newspaper accounts, “died saving someone else.” Another officer was also shot and injured but managed ...

There is much discussion in law enforcement circles and among civilians with concealed carry permits about the best way to carry their weapons and which weapons to carry. This is a subject that I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with myself during my law enforcement career, and I’m going to attempt to share some of my own experiences with you, ...

In 1997, the United States Supreme Court held, in Maryland v. Wilson, that it is reasonable for officers to order passengers in a lawfully stopped automobile to exit the vehicle.i The court reasoned that there must be a balance during a traffic stop between the need of the police to maintain officer safety and the Fourth Amendment rights of passengers. The ...

Prison violence is global, with prison authorities waging a constant battle to deny inmates access to improvised weapons. Despite the most stringent measures, weapons are still found often in the most unlikely places, made from even more unlikely materials. Whether stolen from factories, kitchens, workshops, art classes, pried from cell fittings or simply from articles left unattended, inmates with time on ...

Everyone who’s been in the popo business for any amount of time knows that the two most dangerous activities law enforcement officers engage in are (I’ll give you a moment to guess)… domestic disturbances and traffic stops. With traffic stops, you just don’t know whom you are stopping. The person could be an emotionally disturbed person (the politically correct phrase for ...

If you read the world news headlines it's easy to find articles about terrorist acts being committed in other countries and how the specific country's military responded. This is a common theme all around the world. Terrorist group commits act - country's selected military unit responds. Why is that? Because terrorists commit acts of violence that are, for all intents and ...

In the wake of the recent Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s transportation deputy’s death here in Florida, I thought an article on transportation mandates would be in order. For some, these bullet points will be an eye opener. For others, they may serve as reminders of things told to you by your academy instructors and your field training officer (FTO). Many of ...

I know that size does matter because an attractive waitress once told me so. At the time I think that we were talking about the size of the dinner plate that my meal was being served on, but I’m not sure. I do suspect that she was not talking about a peace officer trying to conceal a pistol under their clothing. ...

Law enforcement officers throughout the United States recognize their ability to search vehicles incident to the arrest of an occupant. The foundation purpose of such searches is to prevent the subject from reaching into the vehicle for a weapon or reaching into the vehicle to destroy evidence. These searches have, for many years, been limited to the passenger compartment of the ...

It's instinctive to fear what you can't see. It's the unknown that we fear; where are they, do they have a gun? These are all thoughts that race through your mind as you search for a target in the dark. By the same token, we can feel secured by the darkness. We’re safer if they cannot see us. Over the years ...

Edged weapons defense often takes a back seat in our use of force training. After all, just three law enforcement officers, all working in correctional facilities, have been killed by edged weapons attacks in the past five years. However, countless cops are injured every year by knife-wielding subjects, and we can’t allow the low number of officer deaths to make us ...

I really think it’s time that we in the police community need to stop sugar coating hand to hand combat. We create all of these politically correct terms and phrases that really lead officers away from what is really going on out there on the street. What is defensive tactics? When I am attacked as a police officer I am trained ...

The first rule of surviving a gunfight is to have a gun to fight with. As we discussed in the previous article that means not only having a weapon, but also having it accessible to you when you need it. That does not mean under the seat of your car or inside of a briefcase. It means where you can put ...

Are you serious about your officer safety and survival? No really, are you? We all read the officer killed summaries, lament the tragic circumstances, vow “that will never happen to me” and then within a week or two we often go right back to work and engage in the same habits and tactics that have always allowed us to “get by.” ...

“Hurry up and wait” is one sure thing that can be counted on in almost every tactical operation. Knowing when to wait and how to best utilize that time will help secure success and, most importantly, keep team members and the innocent safe. Aside from that, there are a few things every operator would like his administration to know… (Don’t worry; ...

I had no idea it could get so hot in Maine. It has to be near 100 degrees. The sun is beating down hard on my salty back and red neck as I stare at my target. I’m rubbing my blistered finger tips together listening to the monkeys in my head. My back is sore as hell and I can feel ...

“What was the scariest moment you ever had on the job?” When PoliceLink posted this question on Facebook and Twitter, it really gave me pause. I started my law enforcement career as a dispatcher at age 17, became a cop at 21, and retired as a sergeant two years ago after 29 years on the job. I’ve had plenty of frightening ...